A/N: hey all! Sorry about the long wait between chapters last time, so I'm
updating sooner. Hehe. Just a little poll, do you guys want me to up the
rating for later chapters (or maybe the next one ;)), so to speak? If you
do, review and let me know. If you don't, review and let me know. Either
way, REVIEW!!!!
11. Heart and Soul
The horse left a muddy trail behind it as the rain steadily increased, and Kalia concentrated only on the sound of its pounding hooves, of the thunder and water falling like the tears of the gods around her. Bracing herself, she waited for the bolt from the guards on the tower to hit her, but to her surprise none came. Then she told herself she was being foolish. Tokilor would have given the order for her to live, so he could hope to get information out of her. Dismounting at the gate, the woman strode purposefully towards the front doors of the place, and none stopped her. The area appeared to be deserted.
Shoving one of the tall, wooden doors open, Kalia quickly shut it against the lashing rain. Wringing her hair out on the polished stone floor, she flipped it back, stepping through the puddle and walking down the hall. She had one hand on her sword, but knew there was no use in using it. If she had met no opposition this far, she probably wouldn't at all, nor would it do any good to attack them. Killing one of Tokilor's soldiers would be like breaking a twig off a mallorn tree: dull and pointless.
So Kalia walked on, undisturbed, with the odd feeling she was being watched. Her burn wound tingled slightly, the lack of the rain on it bringing back slight pain. Once in a while, just to be annoying, she would throw open a door, and barely glance into it, then walk on. One particular time like this, she opened the door to find not a room, but a flight of stairs.
The Tuathe woman looked at the steps curiously. Who would put a staircase behind a door? Tentatively, as though the stone would twist up and attack her, she placed a foot on the first step. Jerking back quickly, she watched as it sank down, then jumped as twenty gleaming spikes were hurled down onto the next step. Not only was Tokilor clever, he was smart, too. She cursed.
"And to think, this might have been a warm welcome," she murmured dryly, continuing on. She had no more disturbances, which might have been from the fact she didn't open any doors, until she reached the end of the hallway. It was definitely the end, since there was a tall wall blocking her path. Kalia cursed again and tried to remember the way Tokilor had taken her.
"Cursing does not become you," That very man said from behind her. He smirked casually at her glare.
"You know what I want."
"On the contrary," he corrected. "I do not." His voice lowered to a deadly growl. "Did you come here to die, or did you expect to do something?" Taking a breath, Kalia shook her head. At his look of surprise, then boisterous laughter, the female lowered her head.
"I did not expect you to be so forward with your answer," He remarked, causing Kalia to raise her eyes only.
"I have no purpose any longer, and since I will not tell you where the few others are, you can kill me now," she snapped. Roughly, he grabbed her chin and yanked it up.
"This is delightful. No, Kalia, I will not kill you yet. I have a better use for you."
***********************************
Legolas followed the trail easily, worry growing inside him. He didn't know her inside out, but the elf knew Kalia well enough to know she wouldn't leave her trail this open. Not unless she meant for them to follow. . . Or thought she would be dead before they reached her. Fresh fear struck his heart as he thought this, and he urged the horse to go faster.
Eventually, he made it to the gate, after approaching apprehensively. His father's words had come to mind, and the elf had scanned the area at least three times, but there were no archers in sight. Legolas tightened his grip on the twin elven daggers he held, and he kicked open the door, expecting to be attacked instantly.
Nothing happened. The elf raised an eyebrow. Stepping carefully into the hallway, he glanced left and right, but was even more surprised to find no one in them. Still suspicious, he went left and started to walk, the eerie lighting of the place unnerving him. Something wasn't right.
"Kalia?" he called out, tensing as his voice echoed through the hall. No response came. Arriving at the first of the doors, Legolas eased it open, looking inside. It was empty, and relatively dark. Moving on, he found himself facing the same dilemma as the female had, the wall blocking his way. He sighed and turned back, supposing he would have to go through one of the rooms.
"Why can't anything ever be easy?" He murmured. Shaking his head, the elf started the long process of searching each room for Kalia. Legolas lucked out, however, when he opened the door to not the fifth room and saw her standing there. With an expression of immense relief, he started towards her but froze.
"Kalia?" Legolas said slowly. "Are you alright?" She looked over at him and smiled.
"Yes, I'm fine. Well come in here, I'm not going to bite you. Much," she added in a low voice, that the elf wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear or not. Reluctantly, he entered the room, and looked around.
"What's going on? Where are all his soldiers, and why aren't you bound? Where is he?"
"So many questions," She chided him in a singsong voice. "I killed him, and they fled."
"Just. . . Like that?" Legolas said skeptically. Kalia frowned.
"What, you didn't think I could? And is that any way to properly thank me?" The man smiled, beginning to believe her.
"You're right, I'm sorry. I just thought. . . With the way you were acting, you would have been reckless."
"I'm never reckless." Raising an eyebrow, the Tuathe woman slowly began towards him. "And that's it? Are you sure you don't want to congratulate me. . . Properly?" Her voice took on a relatively familiar tone and Legolas felt both her hand trail up his arm and her breath against his ear at the same time. Aware of this position made him distinctly uncomfortable.
"Kalia I thought we'd reached an unspoken agreement about this kind of thing," the elf said nervously. The woman gently pressed her lips against his ear, then slid them down to his jaw, then his neck.
"Funny," she whispered. "I don't recall hearing it." Her hand trailed lightly up his arm, scorching his skin through his shirt.
"Stop it, Kalia," he said firmly, grabbing both her wrists and yanking them away. He had told her-and himself-without words this needed to end, that it had been fun the one night but that was all. He'd thought she'd understood, from her behavior, but apparently she did not. She pouted, her dark eyes penetrating him.
"What? Don't you like it? Have I done something wrong?" She asked, looking faintly bewildered. Legolas resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"I thought I made it clear that one night was fine, but more than that was not," he responded, eluding the question. Unfortunately, she noticed.
"You didn't answer me." A sly grin worked its way onto her face. Before he could say anything, she continued on. "It seems to me that you are greedy. You want me, I can feel it. I've seen it in your eyes. But you just don't feel like admitting it because of my race."
"Your race has nothing-" he began, but she cut him off again.
"No? Then prove it." Frustration overtook him and he released her, turning around. If he proved it, she would get the wrong impression, thinking it as an invitation to go further than he wished. If he didn't, she would also get the wrong impression, thinking he despised her because she was not an elf. He blew a sigh. She'd put him into this predicament so easily, now how in the Abyss was he to get out of it?
Turning around, Legolas was brought up short by her lips on his. For a moment he was too startled to push her away, and that one moment was all she needed to cast her spell over him. She tasted sweet and exotic, her lips soft against his. She wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his neck, keeping them together. And Kalia, in turn, was delighted to feel him accept her kiss, place his own hands on her waist.
"I knew you'd see it my way," she whispered, as he pulled back slightly. In response, his mouth returned to hers for a brief moment, then moved down to her neck. Her eyes closed and her head fell back. She shivered slightly. At that, he looked up at her, and for a moment the Tuathe female was afraid he would come to his senses. But she was relieved to see a glint in those astonishing blue eyes, one that assured her he was beyond resistance or reason.
"Are you cold?" He asked her. She appeared thoughtful.
"A little bit. It's drafty in here." An enticing gleam entered his expression.
"Well, why don't we remedy that?"
A/N: I know this chappy was kind of long, but it's for you! To make up for the long posting between chappy 9 and chappy 10. Well, let me know if you like it, and don't forget!!!! *points to author's note at beginning*
11. Heart and Soul
The horse left a muddy trail behind it as the rain steadily increased, and Kalia concentrated only on the sound of its pounding hooves, of the thunder and water falling like the tears of the gods around her. Bracing herself, she waited for the bolt from the guards on the tower to hit her, but to her surprise none came. Then she told herself she was being foolish. Tokilor would have given the order for her to live, so he could hope to get information out of her. Dismounting at the gate, the woman strode purposefully towards the front doors of the place, and none stopped her. The area appeared to be deserted.
Shoving one of the tall, wooden doors open, Kalia quickly shut it against the lashing rain. Wringing her hair out on the polished stone floor, she flipped it back, stepping through the puddle and walking down the hall. She had one hand on her sword, but knew there was no use in using it. If she had met no opposition this far, she probably wouldn't at all, nor would it do any good to attack them. Killing one of Tokilor's soldiers would be like breaking a twig off a mallorn tree: dull and pointless.
So Kalia walked on, undisturbed, with the odd feeling she was being watched. Her burn wound tingled slightly, the lack of the rain on it bringing back slight pain. Once in a while, just to be annoying, she would throw open a door, and barely glance into it, then walk on. One particular time like this, she opened the door to find not a room, but a flight of stairs.
The Tuathe woman looked at the steps curiously. Who would put a staircase behind a door? Tentatively, as though the stone would twist up and attack her, she placed a foot on the first step. Jerking back quickly, she watched as it sank down, then jumped as twenty gleaming spikes were hurled down onto the next step. Not only was Tokilor clever, he was smart, too. She cursed.
"And to think, this might have been a warm welcome," she murmured dryly, continuing on. She had no more disturbances, which might have been from the fact she didn't open any doors, until she reached the end of the hallway. It was definitely the end, since there was a tall wall blocking her path. Kalia cursed again and tried to remember the way Tokilor had taken her.
"Cursing does not become you," That very man said from behind her. He smirked casually at her glare.
"You know what I want."
"On the contrary," he corrected. "I do not." His voice lowered to a deadly growl. "Did you come here to die, or did you expect to do something?" Taking a breath, Kalia shook her head. At his look of surprise, then boisterous laughter, the female lowered her head.
"I did not expect you to be so forward with your answer," He remarked, causing Kalia to raise her eyes only.
"I have no purpose any longer, and since I will not tell you where the few others are, you can kill me now," she snapped. Roughly, he grabbed her chin and yanked it up.
"This is delightful. No, Kalia, I will not kill you yet. I have a better use for you."
***********************************
Legolas followed the trail easily, worry growing inside him. He didn't know her inside out, but the elf knew Kalia well enough to know she wouldn't leave her trail this open. Not unless she meant for them to follow. . . Or thought she would be dead before they reached her. Fresh fear struck his heart as he thought this, and he urged the horse to go faster.
Eventually, he made it to the gate, after approaching apprehensively. His father's words had come to mind, and the elf had scanned the area at least three times, but there were no archers in sight. Legolas tightened his grip on the twin elven daggers he held, and he kicked open the door, expecting to be attacked instantly.
Nothing happened. The elf raised an eyebrow. Stepping carefully into the hallway, he glanced left and right, but was even more surprised to find no one in them. Still suspicious, he went left and started to walk, the eerie lighting of the place unnerving him. Something wasn't right.
"Kalia?" he called out, tensing as his voice echoed through the hall. No response came. Arriving at the first of the doors, Legolas eased it open, looking inside. It was empty, and relatively dark. Moving on, he found himself facing the same dilemma as the female had, the wall blocking his way. He sighed and turned back, supposing he would have to go through one of the rooms.
"Why can't anything ever be easy?" He murmured. Shaking his head, the elf started the long process of searching each room for Kalia. Legolas lucked out, however, when he opened the door to not the fifth room and saw her standing there. With an expression of immense relief, he started towards her but froze.
"Kalia?" Legolas said slowly. "Are you alright?" She looked over at him and smiled.
"Yes, I'm fine. Well come in here, I'm not going to bite you. Much," she added in a low voice, that the elf wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear or not. Reluctantly, he entered the room, and looked around.
"What's going on? Where are all his soldiers, and why aren't you bound? Where is he?"
"So many questions," She chided him in a singsong voice. "I killed him, and they fled."
"Just. . . Like that?" Legolas said skeptically. Kalia frowned.
"What, you didn't think I could? And is that any way to properly thank me?" The man smiled, beginning to believe her.
"You're right, I'm sorry. I just thought. . . With the way you were acting, you would have been reckless."
"I'm never reckless." Raising an eyebrow, the Tuathe woman slowly began towards him. "And that's it? Are you sure you don't want to congratulate me. . . Properly?" Her voice took on a relatively familiar tone and Legolas felt both her hand trail up his arm and her breath against his ear at the same time. Aware of this position made him distinctly uncomfortable.
"Kalia I thought we'd reached an unspoken agreement about this kind of thing," the elf said nervously. The woman gently pressed her lips against his ear, then slid them down to his jaw, then his neck.
"Funny," she whispered. "I don't recall hearing it." Her hand trailed lightly up his arm, scorching his skin through his shirt.
"Stop it, Kalia," he said firmly, grabbing both her wrists and yanking them away. He had told her-and himself-without words this needed to end, that it had been fun the one night but that was all. He'd thought she'd understood, from her behavior, but apparently she did not. She pouted, her dark eyes penetrating him.
"What? Don't you like it? Have I done something wrong?" She asked, looking faintly bewildered. Legolas resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"I thought I made it clear that one night was fine, but more than that was not," he responded, eluding the question. Unfortunately, she noticed.
"You didn't answer me." A sly grin worked its way onto her face. Before he could say anything, she continued on. "It seems to me that you are greedy. You want me, I can feel it. I've seen it in your eyes. But you just don't feel like admitting it because of my race."
"Your race has nothing-" he began, but she cut him off again.
"No? Then prove it." Frustration overtook him and he released her, turning around. If he proved it, she would get the wrong impression, thinking it as an invitation to go further than he wished. If he didn't, she would also get the wrong impression, thinking he despised her because she was not an elf. He blew a sigh. She'd put him into this predicament so easily, now how in the Abyss was he to get out of it?
Turning around, Legolas was brought up short by her lips on his. For a moment he was too startled to push her away, and that one moment was all she needed to cast her spell over him. She tasted sweet and exotic, her lips soft against his. She wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his neck, keeping them together. And Kalia, in turn, was delighted to feel him accept her kiss, place his own hands on her waist.
"I knew you'd see it my way," she whispered, as he pulled back slightly. In response, his mouth returned to hers for a brief moment, then moved down to her neck. Her eyes closed and her head fell back. She shivered slightly. At that, he looked up at her, and for a moment the Tuathe female was afraid he would come to his senses. But she was relieved to see a glint in those astonishing blue eyes, one that assured her he was beyond resistance or reason.
"Are you cold?" He asked her. She appeared thoughtful.
"A little bit. It's drafty in here." An enticing gleam entered his expression.
"Well, why don't we remedy that?"
A/N: I know this chappy was kind of long, but it's for you! To make up for the long posting between chappy 9 and chappy 10. Well, let me know if you like it, and don't forget!!!! *points to author's note at beginning*